Bangladesh face Jordan on the opening day
The AFC Under-16 women’s football Group B qualifying round gets underway in Dhaka today with hosts Bangladesh taking on Jordan on the opening day at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. The tournament will formally kick-off at 2:00pm when Iran play against UAE at the same venue. India are the other team of the group, which will see two team progressing to the final round in China next year.
The Bangladeshi girls are looking to start the campaign on a positive note, which they hope will give them confidence to pursue one of the two qualifying spots.
A cannon fodder in the past, Bangladesh Under-16 coach Golam Rabbani Choton promised they will not give up so easily this time and make the opponents run for their money.
‘We have a tendency of accepting a defeat before taking the field, but this time we will play for the win and we want to prove that we are worth of it,’ said Choton.
‘We have at least nine to ten players in our side with prodigious talent. They are already knocking at the door of national team and break into the side within two to three years.’
Captain Monika Chakma also oozed some confidence saying they are ready play with their hearts out.
‘We will give out hundred per cent and the result will take care of itself,’ said Monika, who at 14 is the youngest player of the Bangladesh national team.
According to the FIFA women’s world ranking, Jordan are placed at 57th, which is 60 places ahead of Bangladesh.
Jordan coach Manar Mustafa Ahmad Fraij said they will try to make the ranking count in the field.
‘Our main target is to secure the first place,’ said Fraij, ‘We have a very balanced team. Recently, we have won two titles and we want to continue it in here and get the championship as well.’
Jordan team underwent a seventh-month training camp plus a conditioning camp of 30 days in Germany to prepare for this tournament.
‘We played three warm-up matches in Germany and won two of them. I believe it will help us playing better here,’ she added.
Local television channel, Channel 9, will live telecast all the ten matches of the tournament.
-With New Age input
